This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on October 23, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: The Attorney-General (AG) has obtained leave [permission] from the High Court here yesterday to institute contempt proceedings against Umno supreme council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam for allegedly threatening a witness in the 1MDB-Tanore trial.

Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah allowed the application when he granted an order in terms to an ex-parte application by the prosecution representing the AG, led by former Federal Court judge Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, to show cause Lokman for disrupting the administration of justice.

Sri Ram said Lokman had made two separate statements via a video with the transcript before the court, which is a clear attempt to interfere in the due administration of justice at the prima facie stage in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial.

Sri Ram, who appeared with Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Mustafa P Kunyalam, told the court that with the application granted, the prosecution will file the necessary cause papers and the translation of the transcript within 14 days.

Lokman, who is from Semenyih, is alleged to have threatened prosecution witness Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin via a video which was posted on Facebook on Sept 25 this year. Amhari gave evidence in Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1MDB-Tanore trial.

Subsequently, he lodged a police report on the same day and the prosecution described his actions as akin to harassing and intimidating Amhari, other witnesses and any potential witnesses who may testify in the case.

The prosecution further described that the intimidation of witnesses constitute an interference with the administration of justice, which constitute as contempt before the court.

The application was filed with an affidavit in support by one Abdul Hamid Baharom, who is an officer from the AG’s Chambers.

Following Lokman’s video, the prosecution issued a show-cause letter to Lokman, and the Umno supreme council member replied via a video of his own, which the prosecution also complained as highly contemptuous.

Under Article 126 of the Federal Constitution, the Federal Court, the Court of Appeal or a High Court shall have power to punish any contempt of itself.